Top most popular girls who changed the music industry of the last century
From the middle of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century in the musical field dominated men. It was believed that women have a role only in musical education. So, women wrote music for children and taught them to play instruments. This was a step forward, given that the music in America in 1825 has only about 70 pieces, created women.
But this was not enough for women musicians, and the situation changes dramatically in the 20th century. Now this century is considered to be the dawn of "female" music. Many women musicians have gained fame, and men are now had to reckon with them.
We have compiled a list of the most influential women in foreign music of the last century. It was they who inspired thousands of women musicians, and thanks to them, modern music has become what it is. It is already impossible to imagine music without at least one of these truly great women. Their beautiful voices, unsurpassed artistry, charisma and the desire to prove that women can also play music have won the appreciation of the audience and huge popularity at all times.
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey is the most famous performer early blues. She was the first of her kind to start recording in a professional studio. Today she is called the "mother of the blues".
Gertrude Pritgett (real name of singer Ma Rainey) began protrude already at the age of 12-14 years. The singer took her stage name after her marriage to Will Rainey, with whom the woman founded the very popular duet Rainey and Rainey.
In the period from 1923 to 1928, collaborating with the Paramount label, Ma gave life to over a hundred compositions. The woman became famous for her powerful vocals and extraordinary manner of performance, which was very similar to the traditional African American.
In 1939, the singer died of a heart attack. At that time she was 53 years old. In 1983, the performer was introduced to the Blues Hall of Fame, and in the early 90s to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Bessie Smith
The first star in the history of blues and jazz, who left studio heritage and thus kept for posterity their unique vocal data. Today, Bessie Smith is rightfully considered one of the most influential blues performers of the 1920s and 1930s.
Smith lost her family very early and grew up in extreme poverty. When the girl was 17 years old, her older brother helped her get a job. dancer to the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, where at that time another excellent jazz performer Ma Rainey.
It was she who noticed in Bessie undeniable gift. Rainey taught the girl vocal skills, and soon Smith began successful musical career.
In 1923, Columbia Records released the first record of an aspiring jazz star, which was called Down Hearted Blues. Since this recording, all subsequent works of the performer have enjoyed great success and dispersed from store shelves in just a few months.
Throughout her musical career, Bessie Smith managed to work with such outstanding musicians as Louis Armstrong, Buster Bailey, Fletcher Henderson, James Johnson, Jack Teagarden, Joe Smith.
As contemporaries later recalled, her singing was wonderful the fact that it completely lacked pathos, but at the same time it was an incredibly bewitching and passionate sound. Each performance of the star collected full house. Today she is rightfully awarded the title of "Empress of the Blues".
Billie Holiday
This woman is one of most popular jazz singers who have ever had such a powerful and deep understanding and perception of the classic blues. In many ways, Holiday's performance style influenced the further development of jazz vocals.
Billie Holiday has had enough complex a life. In 1927, the girl moved with her mother to New York, where they were immediately arrested on charges of prostitution. In the heyday of the 1930s, Billy began performing in nightclubs, where liquor was easy to get during the Prohibition years.
Once the undisputed talent of Holiday was noticed producer John Hammond, who helped the aspiring singer arrange the first recording sessions with Benny Goodman in November 1933. But real glory came to Billy only after joint sessions with the Teddy Wilson Orchestra.
Already in the 1940s and 1950s, Holiday acted as solo artist. She composed songs and actively acted in films. By the end of the 50s, the singer had gained a huge reputation and influence in the world of jazz. A heartfelt composition called "Strange Fruit" is considered to be a recognizable visiting card of Billie Holiday.
After thirty years, Holiday began serious Problems with health. The singer began to abuse illegal substances and alcohol, which affected her voice, which was rapidly losing its former flexibility. The incomparable jazz star died in July 1959 in New York at the age of 44. In 1987 Billie Holiday was awarded posthumous Grammy for his achievements.
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald is considered to be the owner of the most unique three-octave vocal range in the history of jazz. Today it is called greatest and "First Lady of Jazz".
For 50 years of Fitzgerald's brilliant career released about 90 albums, both solo and in tandem with other jazz geniuses, in particular with Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson. Performer during her lifetime sold out over 40 million records with their recordings.
At first, Fitzgerald found it difficult to fight his way to fame. They didn't want to be with her to sign the contract. Chick Webb, a jazz drummer, bandleader and Ella's first guide to world fame, once said this:
“It was with great reluctance that I signed Fitzgerald… She was very clumsy and sloppy, a diamond in the rough.”
However, it was this collaboration that brought to the world such timeless jazz hitslike "Love and Kisses" and "(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)". Ella's first big hit was "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", which was an impromptu children's rhyme. From this work for Fitzgerald the doors to the world of great jazz opened wide.
Patsy Kline
One of the legendary performers country music that has ever existed in musical history. During her short career, Patsy managed write down over a hundred excellent compositions.
Kline began recording songs in the mid-50s and released 17 singles five years later. True, her early records did not achieve success. This was explained by the fact that the singer then had too little influence on the choice of material performed. However, this did not stop her from recording some really interesting works in the rockabilly genre.
In the 60s, changing label and producer, Cline released the first big hit "I Fall to Pieces", which soon topped the country charts, becoming a model for the so-called "Nashville sound" of country music of the time. Over the years her voice became luxurious and confident, and live performances - more emotional.
The culmination of Patsy's work was the composition "Crazy", written by Willie Nelson. Artwork forever entered into world history as a reference recording of the "Nashville sound".
In the spring of 1963, Kline's brilliant career was cut short by a plane crash. The singer died at the age of 30. However, her posthumous fame and influence grew every decade. Today, Patsy Cline is considered the first performer who opened the way for women into country music.
Janice Martin
This legendary performer became famous as one of the few women who conquered the genre. rock and roll. For her incredible dance moves on stage, similar to the movements of the permanent king of rock and roll, Martin was nicknamed "Elvis woman".
At the age of 15, the girl signed a contract with RCA Victor, just a few months after Elvis Presley joined the label. She recorded the acclaimed "Will You Willyum" in March 1956, based on her own composition "Drugstore Rock 'n Roll".
As a result, the single became the biggest hit of Martin's career and sold 750,000 copies. Later girl appeared at Jubilee USA and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming one of the youngest performers in the history of the event.
Janice impressed Presley and RCA with her style so much that they called her "Elvis' woman". Later the king of rock and roll even sent a dozen red roses for her when she appeared at the RCA Victor convention in Miami, Florida.
The brilliant career of young Martin was spoiled by her early pregnancy, in connection with which RCA Victor terminated her contract in 1958. Subsequently, the girl repeatedly returned to music, but she never managed to win the same colossal success.
Nina Simon
Nina Simon became famous as a multi-talented genius of his era, conquering the world stage with unquestioning dedication and unique style. The singer left an indelible mark with her rather cool, controversial character.
She took the stage alias in honor of his beloved actress Simone Signoret. Simone has always tried to adhere to the original jazz traditions, but often combined this genre in her work with blues, gospel, soul and pop. By the end of the 50s, she had released about ten albums.
Simon charmed the audience alive speeches, where she was not only an excellent singer with incredibly deep and flexible vocals, but also a pianist, dancer and actress.
In the mid-60s, the world saw priceless a work called "I Put a Spell on You", which collected all of her most popular hits: "I Put a Spell on You", "Feeling Good" and "Ne me quitte pas".
A year later came out the record "Wild is the Wind", the recordings from which were a pronounced pop soul. After this work, many critics became call woman "Priestess of Soul". The discs released by Nina by the end of the 60s no longer had the same eclecticism and unpredictability as her early works.
The last years of Simon's life suffered from breast cancer, which eventually led to her death. Nina Simone died in the spring of 2003 at her mansion in the south of France. At that time she was 70 years old. Throughout her career, Simon has released about 170 albums and singles, and also gave the world more than 320 beautiful songs.
"The Shirelles"
Girls from the group "The Shirelles" gathered together in 1958 in the American city of Passaic, New Jersey, where they were born, raised and lived all members of the group.
The group soon became one of the most popular American female vocal groups of the late 50s and early 60s. The Shirelles were one of the first girl–bands of his time.
Throughout the 80s and even 90s The Shirelles continued in various forms. going to and give concerts for their fans, who even at that time had a lot.
In 1996, The Shirelles were introduced in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in the heyday of the 2000s, they were awarded the title of one of the best female musical groups of all time according to the influential publication Rolling Stone. In addition, this magazine included two of The Shirelles' songs - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Tonight's the Night" - in their famous list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
Tina Turner
This unsurpassed woman is rightfully удостоилась the title of "Queen of Rock and Roll" for her incredible artistry, temperament and stage magnetism. Tina Turner is the owner of eight Grammy awards.
She also enabled in the top ten most unsurpassed dancers in the world. Turner was named "one of the greatest singers of our time" by Rolling Stone magazine.
In the first half of the 80s, Tina Turner made what would later be called "an amazing comeback in the history of rock music." In the spring of 1984 was released the acclaimed single "What's Love Got to Do With It?", which gave a new round of fame for the performer.
Track came out ahead of Turner's new album. Just a few weeks after the release, the composition turned out to be a big hit on more than a hundred radio stations.
As a result, the track became worldwide hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was "What's Love Got to Do With It?" and became officially recognized as the first and to date the only American hit by Tina Turner.
Diana Ross
Diana Ross is one of the most influential and the most popular American female performers of all time. In total, for all his musical activity, the star wrote down about 60 studio albums and has sold over 150 million discs worldwide.
Ross is one of the few artists who was awarded immediately two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (one for his solo career, the second for his career with The Supremes). In the late 90s, Diana was included in VH1's "100 Greatest Women in Rock and Roll" list. And in 2005, the Rolling Stone publication included the singer, along with The Supremes, among the hundred greatest performers of all time.
According to recent expert assessments, the fortune of Diana Ross is over 150 million dollars.